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Writing in Space with a Cheap Ballpoint Pen

Posted by michael on from the flic-my-bic dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Some days bring big surprises. Like many people, I always believed that it was impossible to write in space with ordinary pens because ink would not flow. So imagine my astonishment when I read Pedro Duque's diary from space this morning. Pedro Duque is an astronaut since 1992. Now, he's on board of the International Space Station (ISS) since October 18, 2003. And he's writing -- from space -- with a cheap ballpoint pen, like Russians apparently always did: 'So I also took one of our ballpoint pens, courtesy of the European Space Agency (just in case Russian ballpoint pens are special), and here I am, it doesn't stop working and it doesn't "spit" or anything.' Isn't it amazing? This summary contains more details and a photograph of Pedro Duque on board ISS." Note that NASA didn't go crazy developing a pen for space. Surface tension is the important factor for all pens, not gravity.

11 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. That reminds me... by jvervloet · · Score: 0, Redundant

    on this (in)famous story about NASA's space pen.

    1. Re:That reminds me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant
      You mean the same story that's linked from the article? Wow, you're a fucking genius.

  2. Yay by The+Old+Burke · · Score: -1, Redundant
    Now *this* is what I call valuable research.

    --
    Proud patriot and republican voter.
  3. Amazing Technology by AndyFewt · · Score: -1, Redundant

    ... When all you needed was a pencil

  4. As the old fable goes by rf0 · · Score: -1, Redundant

    NASA spent millions of pounds and many man years developing a pen that writes in space. The Russians took a pencil :)

    Rus

    --
    Cheap UK and US VPS
  5. Who's REALLY Smart? by Azzaron · · Score: -1, Redundant

    I remember when the Americans invested over a billion dollars into researching a pen that would work in space.

    The Russians? They used a pencil :)

  6. Pencils, anyone? by markom · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Russians have used pencils for ages in their space research. It works in pretty much any condition. No ink flow...

  7. Did you know? by FictionPimp · · Score: -1, Redundant

    hey guys, did you know that nasa spent millions of dallors on a pencil that writes in space and russia took a pen?

  8. Re:In soviet russia... by Madcapjack · · Score: 0, Redundant
    This is an urban legend and simply untrue.

    http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp /

    --
    Logic, macros, and more
  9. MOD PARENT UP! by mrtroy · · Score: 1, Redundant

    This is Ground Control to Major Tom You've really made the grade And the papers want to know whose pen you use Now it's time to write in the capsule if you dare

    --
    [I can picture a world without war, without hate. I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it]
  10. Pencils work better by harrouet · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Why using pens when pencils work out of the box ?